This invention relates to a filling apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to a filling apparatus for filling a brake fluid reservoir during bleeding of vehicle brake lines.
The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the use of the apparatus with vehicle brake line bleeding. This description is given by way of example and the apparatus may also be used for other purposes.
The bleeding of brake lines to remove air in the lines requires an end of the line adjacent the brake pads/linings to be opened to drain a small quantity of fluid from the line to displace any air remaining in the line. As a consequence, the level of fluid in a brake fluid reservoir drops and the reservoir must be replenished to maintain proper fluid levels. There is a danger during the bleeding operation for the reservoir to be emptied and air rather than brake fluid is then introduced into the brake lines. This requires the bleeding operation to be recommenced after the reservoir has been refilled.
To guard against emptying the reservoir during a brake line bleeding operation, the reservoir level needs to be periodically checked and replenished. This can be tedious particularly if the vehicle is on a hoist and raised off the ground.
An apparatus for automatically replenishing the brake fluid reservoir during brake line bleeding is known. That apparatus had a container for brake fluid and a stem projects from the container. The stem had a single passage through it and a tap was located along the stem and was operable to allow the flow of brake fluid through the stem or to prevent this flow.
This apparatus had a mounting plate with a collar through which the stem projected. A set screw was screw threaded relative to the collar and adjustment of the extent to which the stem projected into the reservoir was a two handed operation. The container needed to be held, the set screw operated, the stem shifted to the desired position and the set screw was then tightened while the container was held to lock the stem relative to the collar.
The stem had a passage through which the fluid from the container would flow to fill the reservoir. This passage to a degree allowed air to enter the container. However, there was a tendency for a partial vacuum to form in the container and this often resulted in prevention of flow of fluid from the container. Flow of fluid through this passage was not smooth.
A screw threaded driven clamp was used to lock the apparatus to the neck of the brake fluid reservoir. This did not provide a quick and effective means for securing the apparatus to the brake fluid reservoir.